


Many Happy Returns

by La_Marquise



Category: Psycho-Pass
Genre: Gen, Kind of angsty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-19
Updated: 2016-12-19
Packaged: 2018-09-09 19:51:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,101
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8909773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/La_Marquise/pseuds/La_Marquise
Summary: A brief look at the different ways that Kagari celebrated his birthday throughout his short life.  A very belated birthday fic, reposted from one of my writing blogs.





	

When he turned five, Kagari’s parents gave him a set of five toy dinosaurs. “One for each year,” his father said, smiling broadly as the little boy squealed with delight and immediately made the triceratops charge through a colorful field of shredded wrapping paper to gore the tyrannosaurus. Kagari received other presents that year, a veritable mountain, but he played with the dinosaurs the most.

***

There were no birthday celebrations in the isolation facility. Kagari learned that quite quickly. No cake, no songs, no parties, and certainly no presents. Only white walls and uniformed orderlies. 

When he turned six, Kagari proudly informed the clipboard-bearing orderly that it was his birthday, he was six years old, and he liked chocolate cake the most. The orderly, a young woman, smiled and said “that’s nice.” Undeterred, Kagari insisted that his parents were going to visit him and bring him ice cream, cake, and presents. When the orderly failed to give a satisfactory response, Kagari’s insistence only grew. They were coming. They were coming with presents and treats, with hugs and kisses and toys. They were coming because they loved him, and because it was his birthday.

They didn’t come, of course. Not on that birthday or any other. It took Kagari until he was nine to realize that they never would.

***

“It’s my birthday.” Seven-year old Kagari smiled at the boy in the cell across the corridor.

“Happy birthday.” 

Kagari wasn’t sure if that’s what the boy had said- he couldn’t hear, of course- but he was fairly sure that it was. Those words, mouthed from behind thick, sound-proof glass, were the first and last birthday wishes that Kagari ever received in isolation, and he treasured them.

***

Sometimes Kagari wished himself a happy birthday. It was never anything special, just a quiet mumbling of words before Kagari drifted off to sleep. He wanted to hear someone say it, to acknowledge that he was another year older, and that it mattered. Wasn’t that why people celebrated birthdays? To show that they cared that someone had survived another year? To show their joy that someone was with them a little bit longer? To look back fondly on the day that someone was born, and to show gratitude for it?

Kagari wanted this, all of it, and so, from the time he was ten, he wished himself happy birthday.

From the time he was ten, the only commemoration of Kagari’s birth was a whisper in the dark.

***

He hadn’t been working with Division One for very long by the time his birthday rolled around. He didn’t say much to his coworkers the day before. He’d wanted to, of course. He’d wanted to run around, banging on desks and proclaiming that his birthday was coming up, giving them all at least a week’s notice, but he’d refrained.

***

“Can’t sleep eh?”

Kagari, sitting in the common area near his room, jumped. The old guy, Masaoka, was standing behind him and looking at him curiously.

Kagari shook his head. “Nah. I’m wired.” He grinned, perhaps a little too widely. “What about you?”

“I don’t sleep much.”

Kagari nodded and checked the time. 2 am.

“Birthday, huh?”

Kagari gave Masaoka a look of incredulity. “How did you-”

“It’s on your file. We got a copy when you were brought here.”

“Oh.” Kagari felt stupid. “So you all knew?”

“Yeah.” Masaoka must’ve felt Kagari’s question coming, because he answered it before the younger man could speak. “No, we’re not intentionally ignoring you. We just thought that you might not want us to bring it up. Your birthday, I mean.”

“Why not?”

Masaoka shrugged. “Some people have bad memories connected with birthdays. Some just like privacy. Hell, others just don’t want to face the fact they’re getting older.” He chuckled. “I belong to that group. Anyway, we figured if you wanted us to say anything, you’d have told us. You seem like a straightforward, outgoing guy.”

“Yeah.” Kagari smiled sheepishly, recalling his earlier desire to announce his birthday to the office. “I guess I’m just used to not celebrating with anyone. Isolation and all.”

“Ah, yeah.” Masaoka ran a hand through his hair. “Hang on a second.” He left for a few moments, presumably going to his room, and returned with a large bottle of liquor and two coffee mugs.

“I hope you don’t mind the mugs.” Masaoka had begun pouring a generous helping of the amber liquor into the cups. “I don’t usually bother with the fancy stuff these days.”

“No problem.” Kagari accepted the mug gratefully, his nose wrinkling when he smelled the strong aroma of the liquor.

“Right.” Masaoka held up his mug. “A birthday toast. Happy birthday, kid. You have your whole life ahead of you.”

Kagari giggled a little at the vaguely sarcastic remark and took a large gulp. He sputtered as the liquor burned his throat, and he almost retched.

“Slowly,” Masaoka warned. “This is the good stuff.”

Kagari could only nod.

They sat in companionable silence for a few minutes, finishing their drinks. Kagari sipped his slowly, lesson learned.

“Maybe… maybe we can do something for you tomorrow.” Masaoka poured himself another mug of whiskey. “It doesn’t seem right not to.” He glanced over at Kagari, who was still nursing his drink. “If that’s okay with you.”

“Yeah!” Kagari exclaimed, visibly brightening at the prospect. “Yeah, I’m up for anything!”

“Okay, okay. I’ll see what we can do. It probably won’t be much, but we’ll try.”

Kagari nodded enthusiastically, feeling more excited than he had in over a decade. “And hey, if it isn’t anything major, that’s fine, really. I appreciate anything. Besides,” he grinned, “there’s always next year!”

Masaoka scoffed into his mug. “Don’t get ahead of yourself kid. That’s a long way away. A lot can happen in a year.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Kagari snorted and happily accepted more alcohol. “It’s okay, I have my whole life ahead of me, remember?”

“Ah yes, of course.” Masaoka smiled knowingly. “Next year, we’ll all do something. Maybe even a proper party, if we plan early enough.”

“I like chocolate cake the most. Just saying.” Kagari could barely contain his glee. It seemed silly, so get so excited about such a simple thing, and yet… He sighed happily, his mind becoming pleasantly fuzzy. It felt good, to be spending his birthday with someone. Before Masaoka had found him in the common area, Kagari had been planning on giving himself his usual solitary birthday wishes. He wouldn’t have to now. Maybe, hopefully, never again. Somehow, Kagari’s grin became wider. He wouldn’t miss his solitary birthdays. Not one little bit.


End file.
